Death March kara Hajimaru Isekai Kyusoukyoku (WN) - Volume 15 - Chapter Int7

Chapter intermission 7

15-Intermission 7 . The Journey of John Smith

 

This is before the Divine Punishment chronologically .


"Yohn Fmith, tis s'far we can accomfany you . "
"Thank you, Holphelp . I'll look for another caravan from here on--and also, the name's John Smith . "

I said my thanks to the deerkin man .

After leaving the northern part of Shiga Kingdom, I headed west to the center of the Center Small Kingdoms together with a caravan troupe .
The highway in the Center Small Kingdoms was in bad shape compared to Shiga Kingdom's, much of it was uneven and blocked .

The most problematic thing was the monsters .
I almost died many times thanks to that .

During those times, I was 'coincidentally' saved by caravan troupes and wandering adventurers who happened to pass by .
At first I was proud of my good luck, but even I started to have my suspicion when [Stone Wolves] and [Moving Wood Bears] began to save me .

It's probably the work of the guy who gave me this arm, but I don't understand his objective .
Since he neither contacts me or restricts my actions . . . .

"●●●　●！"
"Ah, my bad . I still don't really get the language around here . "

I look for a caravan heading west while ignoring a sexy female peddler with brown skin .
I can't negotiate with people who don't speak Shiga Kingdom's or Saga Empire's language .

Woulda loved Appraisal or Language skills, not even asking for cheat skills here .

"Onii-san with the flat face over there, care to have some Riuch's fried rice?"
"Whaddya mean by flat--"

I was speechless when I looked at the master of the voice .
An odd guy who looks like a plastered wall covered by moss is standing there .

I'm sure he'd be popular in a theme park .

"Onii-san, is this your first time seeing a Mosskin?"
"Ah, sorry for staring at ya--how much's for the fried rice?"

I could see raisin-like things among the unknown meat and vegetables mixed in the steamy fried rice that's being fried .
It's different from the Chinese-style fried rice I know, but it looks quite good .

"One full bowl of this is one copper coin . "
"Give me two bowls . "

I pay him with the warped copper coins of the Center Small Kingdoms, not of the Shiga Kingdom .

Although there are slight differences in size, copper coins can be used in most countries .
Since the rate of exchange for silver coins is different when I'm going back, I'm prioritizing using up the copper coins which worth relatively less .

"Give me the bowl back once you're done with it . "
"Yea, got it . "

I taste the fried rice at once .

A bit salty, but it's good .
No, maybe because I sweat a lot in the long trip this saltiness tastes irresistibly good .
The unknown meat seems to have been pre-seasoned, it adds depth to the usually monotonous-tasting fried rice .

I couldn't stop my hand from spooning the fried rice into my mouth .
Right when the saltiness about to get too intense, sweetness spread on my tongue .

--Was that raisin just now .

After getting reset by the sweetness, the stimulating saltiness and the umami from the unknown meat hit me like a brick again .

This stall owner is quite good despite his plastered-wall-like face .
It's as if he's the rumored [Miracle Chef] of Shiga Kingdom .

"This is some good stuff . Is this sweetness from raisin?"
"That's from date palms . "

Date palms?

"My cousin is selling baskets of it at the stall over there if you're interested . "
"I see, gotta buy some later . "
"If you're going, you should try your luck at the stall in front of the date palm's . "

Hmm, is it a dice gambling or a rat race?
Taking a peek should be fun .

I memorized the stall's direction and held out the bowl to the mosskin .

"Another bowl please . "

Good food in a trip is a once-in-a-lifetime encounter .
You don't know if you'll ever get to eat it again later on .

I decided to slowly enjoy my third bowl .


◇


"--Rubik's Cubes?"

Toy Rubik's Cube I'm familiar with are lined up on the stall, though they might be of a different kind since they have five square rows on each side .

"Yo, niisan, wanna try your luck?"
"Luck?"
"Yeah! Turn this square thing like this and . "

The stall keeper called me while stroking his well-groomed beard .
He lifted up a cube and turned it around, and then he played with it and made one side full of the same color .

"You'd get some luxurious premium stuff if you can get it like this on two sides and more . "

The stall keeper showed various articles exhibited behind him .
The fifth and sixth prizes are of dummies instead of the real things, probably to prevent crime .

"Saga Empire's--『Appraisal Orb』, and the other one is 『Interpreter Earrings』?"

The 10 gold coins prize when you get four sides of the same color is attractive, though it's probably fake .
My funds have been running dry, this is just right .

I'm good at Rubik's Cube if I do say so myself .

But, before that-- .

"By the way master, there's no way you can get five sides of the same color without getting six too right? Why do you have a fifth prize?"

The stall keeper sighed greatly at my question .

"Not all of them are as educated as you y'see . "
"No well, either way isn't it just obvious?"
"That's not exactly true . If I left out the fifth prize, there'd be a lot of folks asking, 『Don't you have a fifth prize?』 . Explaining to them that they'd always get six colored sides when they get five every time is troublesome, so I just put up a prize for it . "

I see . . . .



"Then that means there's no fifth prize?"
"Hm? I'll let you have it if you can get six sides on the same color . "

The stall keeper put on a face like he was saying "try it if you can" while waving his hand .

That attitude only fires me up .
Let's get to the point .

"Is there a time limit?"
"Only until this hourglass drops . I'll let ya reverse it when it does if you pay me another 10 copper coins . "
"As many times as I want?"
"As many times as you want s'long you have the cash . "

I see, good thinking .
This would hook people who have low gambling-resistant to put out all their money .

I confirm the cash I have on hands .
Doing it on the first try is impossible .

But I should be able to get all of them with four silver coins, no, five .

"First time is only five copper coins . "
"Is that fine with one side cleared like this?"
"Think of it as a service for beginner . "

The stall keeper started the hourglass at the same time I started moving the Rubik's cube .
I easily cleared two sides after a few rotations .

"Whoa, ain't ya a promising newbie! You already got two sides! How bout it? You'd get one small silver coin if you stop here . "

You're one to talk after letting it easy for me to get two sides .
The stall keeper raised his voices while smiling indifferently, attracting the peanut gallery around .

I'm not good with attentions, but I can't use [Burying] in this situation .
I concentrate on the Rubik's Cube while telling myself [That's a pumpkin], [This one's a cabbage] in my mind .

"Aah! He broke it off after getting four sides!"
"T-ten gold coins!"
"That guy, oh no . "

I frantically move my hands while ignoring the peanut gallery .

My wallet has already been emptied .
I've got to clear all sides before the last hourglass no matter what!

"Oh oh oh, almost all the sand's fallen . "

The stall keeper deliberately tried to hurry me up .

"Aaah, oh no oh no oh no . "

Ah, geez .
The oh-no woman is noisy .

"3,2,1--"

--Got it!

"Ze--"

I held out the cube right before the stall keeper could fully declare zero .
The stall keeper's face was hardened in surprise .

"Whoaaaaa!"
"First time I see someone did it . "


"●●●●●!"
"●●●! You're awesome!"

Surprises and congratulations welled up among the peanut gallery .

I confirm the stall keeper's reaction while feeling embarrassed .
If this guy tries to run away, I've got to get the money I paid him at least .

"Ah! The box!"
"What the heck?!"
"Sand?"

The cube I submitted collapsed into six-colored glittering sand .
The stall keeper snatches an obsidian ring-like thing inside the sand .

"Hahaha, this is it! This is one of the artifacts hidden inside 『Cube of Myriad Truth』! You did well youngster! These are your promised rewards . Accept them!"

The ecstatic stall keeper took out an Orb and earrings from item box-like black cross-section and threw them to me .

"I'll give you these gold and silver pouches too . Take all the remaining stuff too! ■■■■ . . . . "

I caught the things the stall keeper threw and put it inside my bosom .

" . . . . 　■ Fly"

The stall keeper floated, and flew to the southwest direction while laughing loudly .
With his lines earlier and all these mid-boss-like things he did, I don't wanna go anywhere near southwest .


◇


"--Not here?"

I bought date palms to be my preserved food in the trips, and signed a contract to board a caravan's sand boat heading to the one of the most prosperous trade country among the western ones, Garleon Union .
After hearing that caravan would embark tomorrow, I went back to the stall that served the superb fried rice earlier, but it was already vacated .

"Excuse me, when is the stall here going to open in the morning?"
"Huh? The guy that was there just opened today . A catkin and a dogkin brats came to pick him up . "
"Hmm, you think he's gonna open again tomorrow?"
"Who knows . "

I purchase sand rate skewers from the stall of this indifference old man .

--Eurgh .

Sand is gritting inside my mouth, looks like it's not well prepared .
Nevertheless, I'm not going to throw them away like when I was in Japan .
I crammed the skewers into my mouth while ignoring the taste and pour unrefined sake I bought on the other stall down my throat .

And then, next day-- .

I went back to the stall street to look for the stall that sold the fried rice yesterday, but I couldn't find any mosskin after all, his cousin stall that sold date palms was also nowhere to be found .
They probably belonged to some caravan troupes and were only doing side jobs yesterday .

"I'm sure we'll meet again if fate allows . "

After muttering something I didn't believe myself, I joined the caravan I'd be riding on and left the town .

"What's that, so pretty . "
"Forget about it . That kid doesn't understand western countries language . "

I look back at the dark brown beauties who are riding the caravan together with me .

"It's an Orb . "


"Orb?"
"Oh? You can speak western countries language . "

One of the beauties said in admiration .

The [Interpreter Earrings] I got yesterday appeared to be genuine .
Therefore, this Orb of [Appraisal] is also highly likely to be genuine .

However, I feel that I'd be better off using the money I'd get from selling this kind of Orb .
This is troubling .

"A Sand Pig is coming! Anyone who can use a bow, get ready!"
"Our turn~"
"You too come here! Pebbles vomited by a Sand Pig could easily break through a plank unless it's made of iron!!"

I rolled behind the sand ship's iron plank while being hugged by a voluptuous beauty .

"That thing's sturdy! Arrows from a small bow won't work on it . "
"Just shoot! It'll work as a diversion . "

Diversion is fine huh .

I don't wanna leave this lucky situation where I'm being hugged by beauty, but this situation seems dangerous if it keeps up .
I part myself from under the beauty's arm in grief .

"H-hold on!"
"My shotgun is perfect as a diversion . "

I unwrapped the cloth hiding my gun and loaded it with some bullets .

Aim at the Sand Pig swimming in the sand .
It won't reach at this range, though not like it'd be really damaging even if it did .

But the roaring sound and the impact on the sand will be quite something, me think .

I pull the trigger after narrowing down the timing on the shaking ship .

--It hit?

Looks like a lucky hit grazed the Sand Pig's eyes .

"You're pretty good! I'm Miji, an archer and a dancer . "
"Oh my my, Miji sure works fast . I'm Rouri, and you?"

Eyes of two beauties filled with admiration are turned at me .

"I'm John Smith . Just John Smith . "

I personally thought it was a cool self-introduction, but the two beauties didn't seem to get it .
If I find myself in the same situation next time, I should try calling myself an adventure lover .

I extolled Miji's bravery, thanked Rouri's kindness when the Sand Pig appeared and presented them date palms from my knapsack .
Looks like sweets are justice even in another world .

While I'm getting surrounded by smiling beauties, the sand ship we're riding on is en route to Garleon Union .  

Would it be tranquility or stormy drama waiting for me there .
The way to another world TUEEEE looks so distant and steep .
<TLN: TUEEEE is basically the Japanese version of OP . >


<TLN: Author's note below . >
The identity of the mosskin is unclear . Of course the identities of the catkin and the dogkin who came to get the mosskin are also unclear .
This is the first appearance of the try-your-luck stall keeper recommended by the mosskin . Whether he will appear again in the future or not is undecided .